Generally, smart labels consist of a variety of components such as a printed integrated circuit (PIC), a battery, and/or a display. Therefore, assembling conventional smart labels requires a variety of surface mounting (e.g., SMD, or “surface mounted device”) techniques and materials, such as anisotropic conductive paste (ACP) and/or soldering.
Conventional printed backplanes may not meet resistivity requirements for high quality (Q) near field communication (NFC) labels, due to their limited thickness. Having a conventionally etched aluminum foil on a plastic film may provide relatively high Q NFC labels. However, the method of assembling an IC and a backplane with an aluminum trace is limited to the use of stud bumps and/or ACPs.
Typically, an etched copper foil on a plastic film, or an etched aluminum foil covered with a copper layer, provides a high Q NFC device that can be assembled using a variety of assembly techniques. However, copper is relatively expensive and is not compatible with food products.
Furthermore, tin immersion plating can deposit a thin layer of tin on the surface of copper or aluminum traces in discrete electrical components such as a switch or a contactor. However, use of such a technique in assembly of an IC or discrete electrical component to an antenna and/or metal traces on a backplane is not known.
This “Discussion of the Background” section is provided for background information only. The statements in this “Discussion of the Background” are not an admission that the subject matter disclosed in this “Discussion of the Background” section constitutes prior art to the present disclosure, and no part of this “Discussion of the Background” section may be used as an admission that any part of this application, including this “Discussion of the Background” section, constitutes prior art to the present disclosure.